Zhou Zhengxi directly subdued the troublemakers.
The crowd fell silent.
With no one to lead them, everyone was at a loss.
She knew someone must have incited this.
Otherwise, how could such chaos erupt from innocent people?
Song Qingchao patted Lin Tingwan's shoulder, signaling her to return.
But Lin Tingwan stubbornly refused to leave.
Song Qingchao didn't force her.
They silently watched Bai You'an and the others busy themselves.
They were the most innocent, not even given a chance to defend themselves.
"Miss Song, we..."
Finally, an elder woman spoke, "We were just desperate."
The rest of the people echoed her sentiments.
"Please don't abandon us..."
Song Qingchao remained silent.
She simply lowered her gaze and walked away.
This action, however, made those behind her anxious, and they quickly called out to her.
"Miss..."
She waved her hand, flipped her wrist, and a dagger appeared.
At this, everyone behind her dared not speak.
Song Qingchao didn't care.
She wasn't doing it to scare those behind her.
This knife was for the instigators.
She directly removed the gag from the mouth of the person who had been shouting the most fiercely.
As soon as the cloth was removed, the man opened his mouth and cursed, "Utter nonsense!"
Then he spat out a glob of phlegm.
Song Qingchao glanced at him with distaste, "You're full of it."
"You preach benevolence and righteousness, but who knows how much wealth you've amassed in secret?"
Song Qingchao couldn't help but smile, twirling the dagger in her hand. "Guangji Temple, as well as the supply of all medicinal materials in the county, were sourced by Mr. Bai and me through connections outside Feng County. We used not a single needle or thread from the people of Feng County, distributed them for free, and received no payment. Our procurement cost over a thousand taels. You say we are amassing wealth, yet we haven't seen a single copper coin."
The man was taken aback by Song Qingchao's words, but still refused to concede, "You only say sweet words. Who knows how much kickback the Lin family gave you? The incense money for Guangji Temple is so substantial, there's more than enough to share with you!"
Lin Tingwan became furious at his words.
"Are you speaking ill of my father? Our Lin family sold at an eighty percent discount and even delivered goods door-to-door. How could we make money? This endeavor was not only exhausting, but it's hard to even break even! And regarding the incense money, my father has been donating gratuitously for the vast majority of Guangji Temple's construction. You truly are a dog spewing filth!"
The man was drenched in Lin Tingwan's furious words.
However, Song Qingchao felt it wasn't over.
"Since the Abbot is here, please ask him if we took any money."
The Abbot, who had been standing aside, said, "Amitabha," and then spoke, "This benefactor Song has not collected any sum here. She has even donated a thousand taels for post-epidemic recovery efforts."
The crowd gasped upon hearing "one thousand taels."
Everyone was stunned into silence.
Song Qingchao was indifferent to their reaction. "Thank you, Abbot."
She scanned the crowd. "Did you hear that? We would feel uncomfortable profiting from this epidemic. The Lin family had originally suspended their operations, but it was I and Miss Lin who communicated to reopen them to maintain normal market order and prices. If you still believe we are amassing wealth, we have nothing more to say."
The man had nothing more to say.
But he seemed unwilling to admit defeat and continued to curse, "Cheap goods are no good!"
Song Qingchao was utterly speechless.
"Then don't eat it!"
"Let's not talk about other things first. Regarding your medicine, it's all severely cold. Coldness damages the yang. Do you want us to live in misery for the rest of our lives!"
Song Qingchao's hand, which had been twirling the dagger, stopped. She directly presented the side of the man's face. "Do you understand medicine?"
The man turned his head and sneered, ignoring her. "Just say yes or no!"
Song Qingchao answered with ease, "Yes."
The crowd below erupted in another uproar, followed by a commotion.
Song Qingchao's lips curved upwards. As expected, these people were as fickle as the wind.
They believed whatever was said.
Could they not think for themselves?
"Let me give you a simple analogy. You are about to die, and there is a bowl of poison in front of you. If you drink it, you will live but occasionally feel pain. If you don't drink it, you will die. Would you drink it or not?"
She abruptly put away the dagger. "Besides, this poison can be neutralized. Would you give up the chance to live now for something that might happen in the future?"
The man remained unconvinced, "According to you, what if someone drinks it and dies?"
"Regardless of the outcome, first ask if they would drink it. Only by drinking it will there be an outcome," Song Qingchao sneered at him. "Preparing for a rainy day is for those who have time. You are about to die, and there is something that can save your life. Even a one-in-a-thousand chance of survival, wouldn't you take it?"
"First, severely cold medicine is not poison. That's the premise. All medicine has a degree of toxicity, that's also the premise. Combining these two paradoxical concepts is somewhat misleading, but you cannot say that this substance is useless."
Song Qingchao tapped the man's face twice with the hilt of her dagger. "I'll give you a chance now. Tell me who is behind you, and I'll let you go."
She whispered in his ear like a devil, "I know you are from the Chang family."
The man was first surprised, then shocked.
He didn't believe Song Qingchao would kill anyone.
"Fine, even if you saved everyone, you have restricted our freedom. Why can't I leave the temple!"
Song Qingchao asked him softly, "Are you cured?"
The man turned red and remained silent.
"You are not cured, yet you want to go out and run around, hoping everyone dies like you?" Song Qingchao frowned. "You may not be afraid, but others are. Please consider others."
The man was still not giving up, "But why can some people leave?"
"They are cured."
"They can move around once they are cured?" the man scoffed.
"Can I restrict them for their entire lives?" Song Qingchao asked, puzzled. "I seriously suspect your brain is damaged. If it were safe outside, why would I keep you here? You eat my food, you wear my clothes. Frankly speaking, I wish you would get better quickly."
Song Qingchao continued to explain.
"Release is inevitable, but we will relax our grip when a balance is maintained. Now is not the time."
"When is the time?"
"When there is an effective cure, and a one hundred percent recovery rate. In the meantime, I have provided economic support, and everyone who leaves will receive compensation from the Abbot."
"What you're saying is as good as saying nothing."
Song Qingchao smiled. "If there was only one case, it would spread to ten, and then to a hundred. Even if I had the medicine, it wouldn't be worth this much trouble. Why drink poison when you can live well? What, is it for the thrill?"
She didn't need to say so much to the man.
She patted the man's face. "Think carefully. I only need you to reveal the mastermind, and I will spare you."